by Alison Ryan
Which was perfect because I was starving.
I made her eat her room service salad naked in front of me, her legs spread as I cut into a piece of prime rib. I’d never felt more like a caveman eating my big hunk of meat while my woman sat naked in front of me, because I commanded her to.
She was so eager to please me, so innocent in her desire for me, that it pulled at my soul. I wanted to fuck her, love her, save her. I’d never had such a need to protect and possess someone, yet I knew it was all a terrifically horrible idea. Piper was my poison. Every man has one, I just had always thought I was above that.
Not anymore.
Twelve
PIPER
It all felt like a dream. Something I would wake up from any second.
After lunch we’d made love in my bed again, his mouth and hands exploring every inch of me, even the parts I didn’t know were desperate to be explored. Coming for him was easy, and pleasing him was my new mission in life. The dull ache in my sex would have slowed me down, made me ask for respite from any other man. But I could refuse Atlas nothing.
Finally, after the constant fucking had us both completely spent, we decided to have dinner downstairs at the hotel restaurant.
“Room service is already getting old,” he’d said. “Wear something sexy. Or I can have someone go out for something if you don’t have anything you like.”
I shook my head, “I think I have something you’d like.”
It was the quintessential little black dress, and the way his eyes looked at me when I came out of the bathroom an hour later, I knew I’d done well.
“I’m tempted to just rip that off you right now,” he said. I was looking in the mirror and he was behind me. He bent down to kiss my neck and ran a large hand down the front of me, making my nipples hard.
“I’m tempted to let you,” I murmured, closing my eyes as his hand slipped underneath the sweetheart neckline of my dress.
Who needed food? All that would satiate me was him.
He stopped in the middle of his groping and my eyes fluttered open.
“Piper,” he said, staring at a piece of paper on my vanity. “Who left that note?”
“What note?” I asked.
“There’s a piece of stationary on your vanity,” he said. He picked it up, eyeing it suspiciously, but slowly handing it over to me. It was from the stationary that rested on the foyer table, right outside the front door.
I turned to look at it and when I saw what it said I immediately screamed.
I warned you, Piper. You don’t know who is on my team.
Thirteen
ATLAS
“You had one fucking job!”
As soon as I saw the note, I knew we had a problem. It was clear that someone within my father’s security staff had either allowed Spencer Cameron into our room (probably while we were at Mullins’) or had left this note at his order.
Either way, someone was getting fired. And if I had my way, they’d also be in a world of very literal pain.
Piper lay crumbled on the floor of the bedroom, sobbing and shaking. I’d held her at first, while boiling with rage. It was clearer to me than ever that no one could be trusted. Not even the people who worked for my father.
The man I was now screaming at looked completely confused and ready to shit his pants. Which showed just how useful he wasn’t. If I could shake him this badly, how the hell was he supposed to protect Piper?
“We’re getting the fuck out of here,” I directed. “Piper, get dressed.”
“I am,” she said, still crying. “We were going to dinner.”
She sat in a heap in her black cocktail dress, mascara running down her cheeks, her hair now all over the place. She looked pitiful, beautiful, and vulnerable. My heart was torn up, knowing how scared she must be.
“Well, change into something more comfortable,” I said. “And pack up what you can as fast as you can.”
I looked over at the man I had just been screaming at, who was now joined by a second man.
“Mr. Titan gave strict instructions. Piper Kipton is supposed to stay at the Four Seasons,” he said.
“Well, plans change. We’re leaving and we’re not telling any of you assholes where we’re going. In the meantime, I’ll be getting security footage to find out how this room was compromised. If either of you had anything to do with this, you’ll never work in this field again. You’ll be lucky to be making eight dollars an hour as a security guard at Tyson's’ Corner.” I towered above both men. It was a fucking joke they were here at all. Clearly, even if they had nothing to do with the threat, they’d been unable to prevent it from happening.
But right now they didn’t matter. Only Piper did.
Neither of them responded, so I turned away, dismissive of them and their incompetence.
Piper was pulling on a pair of leggings under her dress. I walked over to her and cradled her head in my hand, pulling her to my chest.
“It’s going to be okay,” I assured her. “I’m not going to let him anywhere near you.”
She nodded, “I know you won’t. But I doubt everything will be okay.”
“Don’t doubt me when I say it will be,” I pulled her back, my hand under her chin, directing her eyes to look into mine. “I promise, Piper.”
I made a few phone calls. The first one was to my father.
“Atlas,” he said. “Is everything okay?”
“It’s fine. But we need to leave. It’s been made clear to us we’re not as safe here as you might have thought. You either have a mole on your security team or someone who can’t do their job. Either way, we’ve been compromised. So I’m taking her somewhere else. And I’m not telling anyone where.”
I heard my father sigh on the other end of the phone, “This worries me. Do you need a plane?”
“I’ve got that handled,” I said. “But you need to find out what happened. I don’t have time, I just want to get somewhere so that Piper can feel comfortable. She’s a fucking mess.”
“Poor child,” Dad replied. “I’m glad she has you. Let me know where you end up touching down.”
“I will.”
We hung up and I immediately made a call to someone I hadn’t spoken to in a long time.
“It’s Atlas,” I said to the voice on the other end. They didn’t reply, which I had expected. I envisioned shock and a jaw drop. Also, it was 400 AM in Dubai.
“I’m going to need your help,” I continued. “That favor you owe me? Well, I’m calling you to collect on it.”
Fourteen
PIPER
Knowing Spencer Cameron had somehow gotten into the suite, and into my life, made me sick to my stomach.
I could hear Atlas’s angry voice yelling at one of Emerson’s bodyguards. The loud beating of my heart filled my ears. I could hear little else. I knew I was close to having a panic attack, one of many I’d had the last month. Part of me knew I needed to get my ass up and get an Ativan into me as soon as possible. And I needed to stay within Atlas’s sight. I didn’t want him to be more than a foot away from me at all times.
But I couldn’t move. The fear was weighing me down.
Suddenly Atlas was back next to me, holding me, assuring me it would all be alright. He instructed me to change, to pack my things. He promised to take me away, to ensure Spencer would never find me.
I was shaking so badly I could barely hold it together as I threw all my toiletries in my purse. My scattered clothes were stuffed into my suitcase. I’d pulled on a pair of leggings but still wore my strapless cocktail dress.
Atlas must have been able to tell I was spiraling.
“Baby,” he took my face in his large hands, made me look him in his gorgeous, intense eyes. “Stay with me. You’re okay. He’s trying to scare you. We’re getting you out of here and I’m not telling anyone where I’m taking you. Okay? He will never know.”
I looked at Atlas, so badly wanting to believe him. But didn’t he know? There’d be a pilot. Maybe Sp
encer knew him. There’d be flight attendants. People at the airport. If we tried to get away in a rental, there’d be people who had to rent us the car. If we fled in Atlas’s car, we’d have to fill up at a gas station, where more people could spot us. Spencer Cameron had eyes all over this city.
“Take me away,” I choked out. “Away from DC. It’s our only chance.”
Atlas nodded, his eyes softening, “Not a problem. I’m taking us a world away from this city and his eyes. Just trust me, Piper. Can you do that?”
I nodded, knowing it’s what he needed me to say. And I did trust Atlas. I just didn’t trust anyone else.
We rode alone in Atlas’s Navigator to Dulles. Atlas had changed into a dark t-shirt and jeans, a large duffel bag thrown in the back of the car next to my suitcase. We hadn’t spoken much since leaving. I was trying my best to seem calm and strong, but inside I was a frightened mess.
“Where are we going?” I finally asked. He glanced over at me.
“Far. Out of the country,” he said. “The only people who know are me and the pilot, who happens to be an old Navy buddy of mine. No flight attendants on this journey. The less people Spencer can bribe, the better. Not that he’ll even know about this flight. It’s off the record, so to speak.”
“Oh,” I said. “How did you pull that off?”
“Money,” he said. “How else? And knowing the right person.”
I sat back, looking out the window at the darkness blurring by. My heart wasn’t pounding out of my chest anymore. I’d taken an Ativan which had calmed me for the moment, but more than that, I had Atlas. I knew as long as I was with him, I was okay.
After all, Spencer hadn’t planted that note while Atlas was around.
“As long as we’re getting out of DC,” I said. I leaned into the soft leather seat of Atlas’s SUV and closed my eyes.
“We’re almost there,” he said. “So don’t fall asleep on me quite yet.”
“I’m not,” I replied. “I just was hoping to open them and somehow have dreamt all of this.”
Fifteen
ATLAS
We were taking a Gulfstream G650 to the Middle East. It hadn’t been easy to do this quietly and without attracting attention, but somehow I’d been able to pull it off by calling in some favors. If Spencer Cameron somehow figured this plan out, the only explanation would be that he had psychic abilities. And there was nothing I could do about that.
The plan was to stay in Dubai a couple of days and meet up with my father in London. From there, I wasn’t sure what happened next. The best thing to do was just to have Piper stay far from DC for as long as possible until Spencer’s ego could deflate and he could move on to someone else. Otherwise, I wasn’t sure what else there was to do at the moment.
As soon as I’d found out Spencer was involved in this shit, I knew we were up against something bigger than just his obsession with Piper. It was too much of a coincidence and we had too much of a history. Somehow I knew, this was about me. And the past.
But there was no use in telling Piper that. The less she knew, the better.
Our pilot was Malcolm Chambers. We’d crossed paths at Coronado years ago and I’d always liked the guy. I knew he was the best man to get us to our destination. And fortunately he happened to be in Baltimore visiting his wife’s parents, so it hadn’t been difficult to bribe him into taking us to where we needed to go.
“Thanks for doing this,” I said to him as Piper and I climbed up the air stairs into the cabin of the jet. “I know it was short notice as hell.”
Malcolm smiled, “I’d rather be pretty much anywhere in the world other than my in-laws. Really you’re doing me the favor by giving me an excuse to get out of there.”
I laughed, “I appreciate it all the same. And we’re good? With the discretion and all?”
Malcolm nodded, “I don’t know how you did it, but yes. As far as the FAA is concerned, this flight never happened.”
“Good,” I said. “If it’s okay we’re just going to go to sleep. See you in, what? About twelve hours?”
“Yep. And no problem,” Malcolm replied. “Next stop, Al Garhoud.”
Just as I’d requested, food had been brought onto the plane. Breakfast stuff for the morning, snacks for at night. I’d assumed we’d crash once we were in the air. The jet had a double bed in the rear of it, along with sofas that turned into twins.
Piper had collapsed into one of the large leather seats as we took off, her knuckles white as she clutched the arm rests.
“You okay?” I asked.
“Flying scares the shit out of me,” she confessed. “I’ve never flown in this type of plane before.”
“No?” I asked, surprised. “My dad never flew you and Maureen private?”
Piper shook her head, “Not me at least. They were barely together long enough for me to partake in this kind of lifestyle. And I was away at school for most of it. I’ve never even flown first class. My mom is cheap as shit.”
I smiled, not sure what else to say to that. I’d never been a huge fan of Maureen Kipton.
As we reached cruising altitude I could see Piper’s shoulders relaxing. She’d stopped clutching the seat as if her life depended on it and was staring out the window at the night.
“At least it’s a clear night,” she observed. “I guess I should get ready to sleep.”
I nodded, “Yeah, you can have the back room. There’s a double bed and a bathroom back there.”
“Where are you going to sleep?” she asked.
“Out here,” I said, waving towards one of the sofas. “I’m not going to bed quite yet, I have some work to do.”
“Okay,” she said, sounding down. “Goodnight then.”
“Goodnight, Piper.”
Sixteen
PIPER
I’d hoped to fall asleep in Atlas Titan’s strong arms.
But he seemed distracted by things, and not interested in going to bed or being with me anytime soon. Before all of the craziness of the note, we’d been in such a good place. I’d never felt so close to someone and my body craved his again. Nothing would have relaxed me more than a few orgasms brought on by the incredible sex only Atlas could give me.
Maybe he was underwhelmed by me.
Ugh, I thought. Or maybe he’s thinking about how he can keep you safe. You know, the job his father asked him to do. He told you it couldn’t mean anything. So why are you surprised?
But I knew it meant something to him. I could feel it. The way he looked at me as we climaxed together- it wasn’t the way you looked at someone who meant nothing to you. Every kiss, every touch, had been him wanting me to feel good. He’d treated my body like it was something he couldn’t get enough of. He’d told me as much in no uncertain terms. So what if that was in the middle of his own orgasm?
Good grief. As if I didn’t have enough to worry about. But all I could think about was him.
I decided I needed a shower. A cold one.
It was strange to know I was showering on a plane. But I enjoyed every second of it and I couldn’t help touching myself, imagining Atlas in there with me, like he’d been earlier today. The water made my body slick and as I thought of his thick, muscled body thrusting into me, I came, audibly calling out his name, wishing so badly he could hear me and know what I needed from him.
But no such luck. Once I was done showering I wrapped a towel around myself and put on the soft slippers that had been waiting for me at the foot of the bed. I peeked out into the main cabin to see what Atlas was up to. He was on his laptop, typing away, completely oblivious to the girl in the rear who wanted him so badly.
And even though I’d been completely exhausted before take-off, I was now curiously wide-awake and alert. I also felt completely at ease knowing with every minute I was getting impossibly far from DC and Spencer’s sadism. And I had Atlas completely to myself.
I pulled on my oversized American University t-shirt and wrapped a towel around my head. If he wasn’t going to co
me to me, I would go to him.
“I can’t sleep,” I sighed, flopping into the seat next to him. I slowly crossed my legs, hoping he’d get a peek and see that there was nothing underneath my shirt.
He glanced at me and if he’d seen anything, he showed no response.
“You should really try to,” he said, as he continued to look at his screen. “The jet lag is going to be rough. Dubai is nine hours ahead of us.”
Stop being so pragmatic and fuck me! I wanted to scream.
“Okay,” I said. “I’ll try. Shouldn’t you be following your own advice?”
He looked up at me then, “I don’t need a lot of sleep. I’ll be fine.”
“Why are we going to Dubai anyway?” I asked, leaning closer to him, hoping the smell of me might grasp his attention.
“It’s far away. And I know people there that will make sure we’re never bothered,” he said. “You’ll probably be a little bored cooped up in a hotel suite but it’s just for a couple days until Dad’s done in Australia.”
“I could never be bored around you,” I cooed. Good Lord I sounded so obvious. And desperate.
But I was desperate. For his body.
He looked at me now, a funny look on his face.
“What are you doing?” he asked. I wasn’t sure what to say.
“I just thought,” I started. “You know… Before the note…”
He closed his laptop and turned to me. I had his full attention now, but suddenly I wasn’t sure if I wanted it.
“Piper,” he said. “We can’t keep doing that. I told you, it was a one-time deal. Get our sexual tension out in the open, take it out on one another for a night and a day. But I can’t get involved with you. You’re already in a complicated enough situation. My job is to keep you safe and out of harm’s way.”
